MARTIN SCORSESE - HONG KONG DIRECTOR LAU CRITICIZES SPIELBERG'S OLYMPICS STANCE

HONG KONG DIRECTOR LAU CRITICIZES SPIELBERG'S OLYMPICS STANCE

Hong Kong director Andrew Lau Wai-keung, whose hit film Internal Affairs was recreated as the U.S. blockbuster The Departed by Martin Scorsese, has criticized Steven Spielberg's decision to pull out of the Chinese Olympic Games as artistic adviser. At a news conference, Lau, who is making a short with British director Daryl Goodrich about China's preparations for the Olympics, said that he was "shocked and surprised" by Spielberg's withdrawal. "It's clear that the Olympics is all about sport and nothing to do with politics," he said. Goodrich said, "I was invited to make a film about sports, about children and to celebrate the Olympic Games. That's what I do, and that's why I came to Beijing." Spielberg withdrew as artistic adviser to the Games on Feb. 12, criticizing China's policies regarding the Darfur conflict in the Sudan. Over the weekend IOC president Jacques Rogge warned against using the Games for political demonstrations. Rogge said that while he "respected" Spielberg's decision, "The games are bigger than any one person."


25/02/2008